"I have come here to stop this wedding," said the detective, a little excited. "You mean, to delay it. That you are doing now, as I should be on my way to the altar to join my bride." "I tell you, I come to stop this wedding altogether, and----" "One moment, Mr. Barnes. There is no time to lose, and I do not wish you to speak too openly. Let me talk for you. You have reasons, which I can guess, for wishing me not to be married. Am I right?" "I have said as much." "If I can prove to you that you gain nothing by hindering this ceremony, will you allow it to proceed, and then act as you may please afterward, instead of now?" "Of course, but that is impossible." "Nothing is impossible, Mr. Barnes; read that if you please." Taking from his pocket a folded paper, he handed it to Mr. Barnes, who took it nervously, read it, and looked up amazed. "This is an outrage, Mr. Mitchel, and----" "And you have given me your word not to further interfere at this time. If you will meet me at my hotel at two o'clock, I will answer whatever other demands you may have upon me. I think you know that you may trust me to keep the engagement. Now, gentlemen, we will proceed." Saying which he and his friends filed out of the room and down the aisle of the church, much to the relief of the immense throng awaiting them, leaving Mr. Barnes utterly discomfited. The ceremony then proceeded without further delay, and in half an hour Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Mitchel were taken in their carriage to the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Mr. Barnes did not wait to see them leave the Cathedral, but hurried away almost immediately after having read the document which Mr. Mitchel had handed to him. This was a certificate of marriage dated the day before, and performed at the Mayor's office. Thus, whatever reason the detective had for stopping the marriage, the telegram from Sefton had enabled Mr. Mitchel to once more outwit Mr. Barnes, by simply allowing a civil contract to antedate the religious ceremony. CHAPTER XV. MR. MITCHEL EXPLAINS A FEW THINGS. Immediately upon his arrival in New York, Mr. Barnes went to his office. Here he was slightly surprised to find Lucette. "Well," said he, tersely. "I came here," said the girl, "so that I could report to you the minute you got here. There is no time to lose." "Why, what is up?" "Your plan about my getting information from the East Orange post-office did not work. The man said that though he would like to serve you, he was afraid it might be construed into tampering with the mails. That you would need an order from the Postmaster-General. I went to work then on the other line, and began a systematic examination of every house in the place. It was hard work, but at last I found the child. You don't want details now, because she has been taken away again. Mitchel went down yesterday and brought her to New York." "Why did you not follow him and see where he took her?"